GREAT VESPERS

Kathisma Reading: Blessed is the man… is sung.

At Psalm 140

In Tone 4

8. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord;* O Lord, hear my voice!

With the net of charity, admirable James,* you drew the human race from the sea of vanity,* and yielded them to the practice of the Master’s commands.* As His apostle, He enlightened your understanding; as His preacher,* He revealed to you His incomprehensible divinity,* O most blessed one!

7. Let Your ears be attentive* to the voice of my prayer.

With the net of charity, admirable James,* you drew the human race from the sea of vanity,* and yielded them to the practice of the Master’s commands.* As His apostle, He enlightened your understanding; as His preacher,* He revealed to you His incomprehensible divinity,* O most blessed one!

6. If You mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?* But with You forgiveness is that You may be revered.

With the net of charity, admirable James,* you drew the human race from the sea of vanity,* and yielded them to the practice of the Master’s commands.* As His apostle, He enlightened your understanding; as His preacher,* He revealed to you His incomprehensible divinity,* O most blessed one!

5. I have waited for You as You have commanded; my soul patiently relies on Your promise,* for it has trusted in the Lord.

In the form of fire, the radiance of the Spirit descended on you.* He made you His chosen vessel.* Zealously you drove away the mist of godlessness* and enlightened the world with the mystery of faith* by the wisdom of your words,* most honourable Apostle James, eyewitness of Christ.

4. From the morning watch until night* let Israel trust in the Lord.

In the form of fire, the radiance of the Spirit descended on you.* He made you His chosen vessel.* Zealously you drove away the mist of godlessness* and enlightened the world with the mystery of faith* by the wisdom of your words,* most honourable Apostle James, eyewitness of Christ.

3. For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him there is plentiful redemption;* and He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

In the form of fire, the radiance of the Spirit descended on you.* He made you His chosen vessel.* Zealously you drove away the mist of godlessness* and enlightened the world with the mystery of faith* by the wisdom of your words,* most honourable Apostle James, eyewitness of Christ.

2. Praise the Lord, all the nations;* proclaim His glory, all you people.

With the lightning bolts of your preaching,* you enlightened those who sat in the darkness of ignorance, glorious James.* Through faith, you revealed them to be the children of God the Master.* You loved him through suffering and death and so inherited his glory* wise, faithful, and inspired disciple.

1. Strong is the love of the Lord for us;* eternally will His truth endure.

With the lightning bolts of your preaching,* you enlightened those who sat in the darkness of ignorance, glorious James.* Through faith, you revealed them to be the children of God the Master.* You loved him through suffering and death and so inherited his glory* wise, faithful, and inspired disciple.

Glory…

By receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit, O James,* you were numbered with the holy choir of apostles;* for a mighty wind descended from heaven,* and a fiery tongue breathed upon you,* with which you burned away the thorns of the nations’ godlessness.* Pray to Christ God, as His preacher,* that He may save our souls!

Now…

O Mother of God, because of You David the Prophet* became an ancestor of God;* he foretold and sang a joyous hymn of praise* and cried out to Him who worked wonders in you:* “The Queen stood at your right hand.”* God revealed you as a life-giving mother,* when He chose to be incarnate of you without a father.* He renewed in man His image which the passions had corrupted.* He found the lost sheep in the mountains, carried it on His shoulders,* offered it to the Father, generously numbered it among the powers of heaven,* and saved the whole world, since He is Christ of great and rich mercy.

Readings
(1) 1 John 1:1-7; (2) James 1:1-12; (3) Jude 1:1-25

Aposticha

In Tone 4

You have obtained invincible authority over demons, Apostle James,* and in the name of Christ power to drive away the princes of darkness.* You passed through the earth as a radiant sun enlightening all lands, glorious one:* preaching Christ’s first and second coming.

Their proclamation has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the universe!

James, you were a man of true action,* showing forth the original grace of divine, natural life.* You were called the son of the grace of God.* Because of the purity of your mind and your goodness,* you were manifest as a sincere disciple of Christ.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork!

As a well-made instrument, apostle James,* you gave yourself to the calling in of the Gentiles.* You led them divinely, instructing them in the knowledge of Christ,* and by both deed and word,* you brought all to confess the true divine nature of Jesus,* who is the Saviour of our souls.

In Tone 5

Glory…

We praise in faith, glorious James, the honourable day of your memory:* not because you are the son of Alpheus,* but because you are Christ’s apostle; a preacher of his ineffable incarnation.* Since you stand before the throne of the Master,* with the angels, the choirs of apostles and martyrs,* pray without ceasing that our Saviour and God will save us.

Now…

O most pure Virgin,* you are the temple, the gate, the palace, and the throne of the King.* Christ, our Redeemer and Lord,* appeared through you to those who slumbered in darkness.* For He, as the Sun of Righteousness,* wishes to enlighten those whom He created with His own hands* according to His own image.* Therefore, O Lady, whom we always praise in song,* we beseech you to intercede with Christ for the salvation of our souls;* for, as His Mother, you can approach Him with the greatest confidence.

Troparia

In Tone 3

Holy apostle James, intercede with the merciful God* to grant to our souls* forgiveness of sins.

Glory… Now…

We sing your praises, O Virgin;* for, as the Mother of God, you always intercede for the salvation of the human race.* It is from you that our God and Your Son took flesh.* Then, by suffering the passion on the Cross,** and out of love for mankind, He delivered us from corruption.

 

DIVINE LITURGY

Troparia and Kontakia

Troparion, Tone 3: Holy apostle, James, intercede with the merciful God* to grant our souls* forgiveness of sins.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

Kontakion, Tone 2: With praises let us all extol James as a herald of God;* he firmly planted the doctrines of wisdom in the souls of the godly.* For he stands before the Master’s throne of glory* and rejoices with all the angels* unceasingly praying for all of us.

Prokeimenon, Tone 8
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.
verse: The heavens tell the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of His hand.

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 4:9-16

Alleluia, Tone 1
verse: The heavens shall confess Your wonders, O Lord, and Your truth in the church of the saints.
verse: God is glorified in the assembly of the saints.

Gospel: Luke 10:16-21

Communion Hymn
Their utterance has gone forth into all the earth,* and their words unto the ends of the world.* Alleluia, alleluia,* alleluia.